Starmer dealt hammer blow as voters label Labour 'dishonest' over PM's tax raid

Just six per cent said they believe that Labour had been “very honest”, while 28 per cent said the party had been “mostly honest”, according to a BMG Research poll which surveyed 1,560 people.

Starmer’s party has repeatedly ruled out increases to income tax, National Insurance, and VAT. However, Chancellor Rachel Reeves is understood to be considering raising inheritance tax (IHT), capital gains (CGT), fuel tax, and taxes on pensions.

High-net-worth individuals (HNWIs) are believed to be in the firing line of this oncoming tax raid as Starmer and Reeves attempt to fill a £22billlion “black hole” in the public finances.

The poll, commissioned by the i newspaper, found that possible increases in fuel duty or raising inheritance tax could in fact hit workers and potentially breach Starmer’s election promises, where he vowed not to raise taxes on “working people”.

Almost 60 per cent of voters view a rise in fuel duty as a tax on working people, and 43 per cent believe that raising inheritance tax would amount to a tax on working people than do not (35 per cent).

In a speech to the nation earlier this week, Starmer said that tax hikes and spending cuts will be introduced in just a matter of weeks admitting that “things are worse than we ever imagined” and that a “painful” budget in October was in the works.

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He explained Britons will have to “accept short-term pain for long-term good” and said his Government did not account for the huge hole in public finances before the election.

Starmer said: “It's not the position I want to be in but we have to end the politics of the easy answer that solves nothing.

“I said change would not happen overnight.

“When there is a deep rot at the heart of a structure, you can't just cover it up... you have to overhaul the entire thing, tackle it at root. Even if it's hard work or takes more time.”

He pledged to make boosting wealth and growing the economy the “number one priority of this Labour Government”.

The Prime Minister also insisted that his team has done more for the country in seven weeks than the Conservatives managed in seven years.

Responding to the results of the poll, Cllr. Matthew Goodwin-Freeman, said: “We warned you...as Rishi said: "As night follows day, Labour will raise your taxes.”